We previously noted that WWE reported their financial results for the fourth quarter of 2014, and part of the report featured pay-per-view buys for the WWE Hell In A Cell, WWE Survivor Series and WWE TLC shows.
WWE TLC brought in the lowest number of buys in WWE PPV history with 39,000 buys; the lowest total before the December show was WWE Night of Champions in September 2013, which had 48,000 buys. The 2014 TLC show took place the first month after WWE gave new subscribers a free month’s subscription to the WWE Network, which included WWE Survivor Series in November, and that likely had some effect on the lower amount of buys.
WWE Survivor Series came back with 100,000 PPV buys, and the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, which featured Dean Ambrose versus Seth Rollins in the main event, had 83,000 buys. WWE Network subscriptions rose a total of 12% in the 4th quarter, so the dip in PPV buys was not much of a surprise.
BP: I feel like PPV buy numbers are still important, but aren’t accurate anymore, like Neilsen ratings when you include DVR numbers. I believe everyone should expect PPV numbers to decrease over time, and WWE will probably set a new “low” again as the Network becomes more successful, and more widely available in overseas markets.
